green transportation

Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort

thegreenconnoisseur — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:12:30 -0400

One of the most renowned vacation destinations in the South Pacific, the award-winning, five-star Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort is located on 17 acres of a coconut plantation on the island of Vanua Levu, overlooking the turquoise blue waters of Savusavu Bay. (To see this full story follow this link http://www.thegreenconnoisseur.com/c/travel/eco_hotels_and_resorts/jean_... )

Segway Sales Scooting Along

jplatt — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Gas prices high enough for ya? You're not alone. But some people and businesses are taking action. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, high gas prices have pushed sales of electric-powered Segway PT vehicles up as much as 50% this quarter.

Segway, Inc. doesn't release exact sales figures (private companies don't have to), but according to CEO Jim Norrod, Segway sales rose 25% in the first quarter of this year; he expects another 50% jump for the second quarter.

The Segway PT comes in a variety of configurations for personal and business use, and plugs into a standard wall socket. One model, the i2 Commuter, has a range of about 24 miles, a maximum speed of 12.5 miles per hour, and costs "about what you spend for your daily newspaper" to charge.

On top of that energy savings, Segway is giving buyers an extra incentive to start scooting around on their two-wheeled vehicles: for every device sold, they will purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) "equivalent to the amount of electricity frequent rider uses in one year to charge a Segway PT (about 200 kilowatt hours)."

Now, a Segway ins't the perfect choice for everyone. They still cost around $5k, they only go a few dozen miles, and they don't have roofs, so they aren't exactly all-weather vehicles. But if you're feeling pain at the gas pump and are still waiting for an electric car, the Segway could be your salvation.

Learn to Improve Your Car's Gasoline Efficiency

jplatt — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:56:56 -0400

With gas prices climbing higher and higher, it's ever-more important for everyone (individuals and companies) to get the most bang for their buck -- in other words, to get the best gas mileage from their vehicles.

Want a simple way to do that? Try installing the ScanGuage II from Linear Logic. This tiny device plugs into the onboard diagnostic connector in almost any car or truck and instantly starts calculating all kinds of critical data -- including your exact gas mileage. Knowing your MPG at any point in your trip allows you to adapt your driving methods to improve your overall efficiency. Bingo, you'll be using less gas, saving money, and putting fewer greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

ScanGuage II also tracks a lot of other cool information, such as how much fuel you have used and how much time you have been driving. It's only five inches across, making it easy to install just about anywhere in your vehicle.

I first saw tools like this in the dashboards of hybrid cars, but this is the first time I have seen an equivalent device that can be used in any car or truck at any time. ScanGuage costs just $169.95 (including shipping) -- a bargain at half the price if it teaches you to improve your fuel economy and reduce the number of trips you need to take to the pump.

Drive It? No, WALK IT!

Julia — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

So I spent last semester in London, which was lovely but got really overwhelming at times. My biggest complaint about the city was the failing transportation system. Your best bet when trying to get around was to walk everywhere you could- otherwise, you could quite possibly find yourself waiting forever until the tube showed up. Which is precisely why Walkit.com, a new London-based website, is a must-see not only for eco-conscious commuters, but for everyone who has ever been frustrated by the inconsistency of public transportation.

To use Walkit.com, you simply enter your starting and ending locations, and the site does the rest. Based on the data you’ve entered, Walkit.com creates a personalized walking map to quickly and efficiently get you where you need to go. This, in my humble opinion, is genius. Why waste your money on a taxi and contribute to air pollution when you can walk?

You can also find out approximately how long the walk will take AND how many calories you will burn doing it! By utilizing Walkit.com, you’re not just reducing your carbon footprint- you’re getting some exercise, and maybe even enjoying yourself in the process.

Walkit.com was just shortlisted for The 2007 National Energy Efficiency Award, and is starting to make headlines across the globe.

“We want to get people walking more,” reads Walkit.com’s mission statement. “We think walking in and around town can be a smart choice. No timetables to keep to, no journey delays, no overcrowding, healthy, green, free, direct, access to services (and sunlight!) en route. We're a tiny outfit but we've got big ambitions and plan to launch the service in other UK cities as soon as we can.” Sounds good to me.

I love this idea because it tackles multiple issues at once. It’s an environmentally conscious act that positively impacts your health. We are so lazy sometimes, and this is an ideal way to get motivated to exercise and feel good and accomplished at the same time. Heck, I’m not saying you need to walk miles to get to where you belong, but think about all the places you drive out of convenience when you could easily go for a quick jaunt on foot. Once the snow kicks in here in Ithaca, it’s sometimes a much better idea to just start walking in the first place, because it could be ages before you can even get your car out of the driveway!

Support Walkit.com so that it can eventually make its way to your city. And get walking, friends!